Scoundrel: Thanksgiving
by DaeFaely
Summary: "I think not, little girl." "Please? No one should be alone on the holidays." "I'm not alone."


**(A/N: Hi all! How goes it? I decided to do a short little piece in honor of Thanksgiving here in the USA. This is a Scoundrel AU, as you probably figured out by reading the title.**

**And also, I wanted to bring something up since I've had a couple reviewers mention it. I haven't forgotten about Plain Enchancian Love Story. There's just a couple of stumbling blocks I ran into with it that I didn't think of when I first started writing it. I'm finally getting them sorted out so I can move forward with the story again. I've started working on writing it again and there should be some updates soon.**

**I own nothing!)**

Sofia sat comfortably in a chair in her father's library. She held a book in her lap but she couldn't focus very well on the words.

The library door burst open and Amber burst into the spacious room. Sofia looked up and smiled.

"There you are Sofia!" Amber exclaimed. "You would be in here if you weren't out for a ride. I passed by the kitchen and there's so many wonderful scents emanating from it. Oh I can't wait for the feast tomorrow!"

Sofia smiled. "It is exciting. It's too bad Grand Mum and Aunt Tilly and Uncle Bartleby won't be making it this year."

Amber sat down by her sister. "I know. Grand Mum hasn't been feeling well and Aunt Tilly is far away with Uncle Bartleby's recent departure. It's going to be strange just being us five at the feast."

Sofia set her book to the side. "Yes it will. But Aunt Tilly's most recent letter indicated she and Uncle Bartleby are doing well dealing with the uprisings in the south. And the letter from Grand Mum's butler indicated she's started recovering. And everyone was here for Dad's party a few weeks ago. It's a lot to be thankful for."

"You're right. And even more to be thankful for, you were found and safely brought back after the party. And you weren't seriously hurt."

Sofia lifted her right foot up a bit and looked at it. True to the words of a certain scoundrel, her foot wasn't broken. The doctor had said it was just a simple sprain. A few weeks of taking it very easy and her foot felt so much better.

"There's a lot to be thankful for," Sofia said. "I need to take care of something. I'll see you in the morning."

Sofia stood up and walked across the library. Amber watched her sister, an eyebrow raised.

_What are you up to?_

Sofia quickly walked to her dad's study, knowing he was probably trying to get ahead of paperwork for the week. She knocked on the door and entered the room.

Roland looked up from a document and smiled.

"Sofia. How are you? Does your foot still feel good?"

Sofia nodded. "I'm good. The foot is just a little sore. I pushed it a bit much earlier, but it's manageable."

"Roland nodded. "That is good to hear. What brings you by?"

"I wanted to ask something about the feast tomorrow. I want to invite someone to join us."

"Of course. Do you want Baileywick to send someone out to invite your friend?"

Sofia shook her head. "No, I'll take Minimus out and invite my friend myself. Thank you Dad."

Sofia walked around the desk and hugged Roland tightly. Roland smiled and hugged his daughter back.

"Just be careful on your ride please. Minimus returning here without you, late at night and with a storm starting, was not pleasant."

Sofia nodded. "Don't worry Dad. Unlike that ride, I won't have frustration about impertinent young men clouding my mind."

Roland chuckled. "One day, there's going to be a man who won't be so rotten to you. But there is no rush. You're still only seventeen."

Sofia nodded.

_There's already a man who hasn't been rotten to me. But he's probably not interested in me like that._

Sofia smiled. "I better go. I want to leave early on Minimus to go invite my friend."

Roland nodded in understanding. Sofia left the study and headed to her room. In her room, Sofia quickly pulled out her riding outfit. Thanks to the skillful hands of one of the maids, the teenager couldn't tell it had taken some damage when she'd had her accident a few weeks ago. Even the scuffed up boots looked near brand new.

Sofia giggled to herself and laid the outfit out. Quickly, she got ready for bed and settled down. Her sleep was filled with dreams of a certain set of arms wrapping around her to help her out, whether it was keeping her away from a crazy raven or keeping her off an injured foot.

oOo

Sofia woke up very early. Most of the household was still sound asleep. But the teenager had a mission and she needed the early start.

"Hey Minimus." Sofia scratched her horse's nuzzle. "It's been a while since I've ridden you. I still wish I knew what all happened that night. Why you threw me. I must have been very dazed and distracted that night. But it's okay. Let's go Minimus."

Sofia mounted and was quickly on her way. The sun was starting to rise when she finally found her way back to the cabin. Sofia brought her horse around to the back where she knew Cedric kept his horse and tied Minimus off.

"I'll be right back Minimus. And hopefully not alone."

Sofia hurried to the front door and knocked. A thud was heard inside as well some obscenities. Sofia's eyes widened. The door opened.

"For the millionth time Cordelia-" Cedric's rant stopped when he realized who was at his door. "Oh. What brings you by Miss Sofia?"

"Who's Cordelia?" Sofia asked.

"My sister. She's a handful."

Sofia nodded. "I'm here for a couple of reasons. I wanted to thank you again for your help a few weeks ago and let you know that my foot wasn't broken. It was just a simple sprain."

"Must have healed well if you're out here by yourself. Did you ride?"

"Yes. I put my horse with yours."

Cedric's eyebrow raised. "Quite the brash young one if you're taking such a liberty to put your horse with mine without permission."

"It won't be for long. I just seem to recall there not really being any other place where a horse could be tied off here. The second thing I'm here for, I wanted to invite you to join my family for our feast today."

Cedric sputtered, eyes wide as saucers. "I think not, little girl."

Sofia looked at Cedric with large, hopeful eyes. Almost as if the rejection hadn't happened.

"I just figured you might be alone today," Sofia said. "And we have more than enough food. And after what I've told my family about you, they've been wanting to meet you."

Cedric scoffed. "As if a politician and his family would be interested in meeting someone like me."

_Besides, her father… No not now…_

"Please Cedric? No one should be alone for the holidays."

"I'm not alone. I have Wormwood."

Sofia scowled. "A crazy raven does not count. And by the looks of it, you're not going to spend it with your family, wherever they are. Or friends for that matter."

"I'm sure a young lady such as yourself has hordes of decent friends to invite to a feast."

Sofia paused. "That's my sister who has hordes of friends. I just have a few good ones. But they live far away from Cantata Hall. Visiting with them can be difficult. Especially when it starts to snow."

"I'm shocked. A young lady such as yourself who doesn't have nearby friends? I would think others would flock to you especially with your father's social standing."

Sofia's head dropped, her eyes moistening. "They don't. Most of the elite make a sport out of cruelly gossiping about me and my mother since we were very poor before Mom married Roland. That's why I don't have a lot of friends."

Cedric felt something pull at his heart. He knew all too well how it felt to be at the center of cruel and often untrue gossip. And to be left alone because people believed the rumors over the truth.

"I don't mean to be pushy," Sofia said. "You're just one of the few people who treated me well, regardless of who I am or what my past was, and I think I can count you as a real and true friend. That's why I wanted to invite you to my family's feast. You're a friend and I didn't want you to alone on such a special day."

Cedric felt his resolve crumbling.

_It would be nice to not have to shoo a bird out of the kitchen while trying to cook. But the politician in her family…_

"Would you come? Please Mister Cedric?"

Cedric was still for a moment but then nodded. Sofia let out a girlish squeal and threw her arms around Cedric. It took a couple moments before Sofia realized just what she was doing. She pulled back, her cheeks heating up.

"Oh sorry, I wasn't thinking. I'm just so excited."

"I'm sure."

Cedric wasn't about to admit it, but something in him had enjoyed having the young lady hug him. It had been too long since someone had ever hugged him.

_Too long since… No! Don't even go there._

Sofia grabbed his hand and started pulling him out the door.

"Hurry, we should get on our way to the hall."

"Hold on, little girl, I still need to get my cloak."

Sofia paused. "Whoops. Of course. My sister once told me I could be very childlike when excited."

"If this is any indication, she's very right."

Cedric grabbed his cloak and pulled it on. He'd barely gotten it on when a small, delicate hand grabbed his hand and pulled him down the path to the horses. Sofia was smiling widely.

"I'm so glad to have a new and good friend like you, Cedric. Hurry. My family has been anxious to meet you."

Cedric wasn't sure how he'd managed to get roped into this but he couldn't find it in himself to refuse the sweet young lady who was all but pulling him towards their horses.

Sofia grinned widely as they got to their horses.

_I once said we'd meet again, my dear scoundrel. I was right. I can see you're guarded. I hope I can help you bring down that wall you've got up. I hope I can help you like you've helped me_.

"Thank you Cedric! You're the best!"

**(A/N: Happy Thanksgiving to you all. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and that you get to enjoy it with your family and loved ones. Family time is one of my favorite things about the holidays. It gets crazy as I come from a big family but I wouldn't trade them for the world.**

**I want to hear from you. What do you love about the holidays? What are you thankful for?)**


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